1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to vehicle washing operations and more particularly to apparatus for mounting and operating downwardly depending vehicle washing means.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
It has long been a goal of car wash engineers to design a single washing apparatus which is capable of washing a relatively large percentage of the vehicle surface. Conventional washing systems typically include either rotatable brushes or downwardly depending mitters. A mitter is a fabric panel which may be cut into multiple strips and depends downwardly from an elevated support structure. Washing mitters are often displaceable to effect relative movement between the mitter and the car, with the hope to cause the best possible cleaning. Several prior art designs use a pivotal support which reciprocates the mitters laterally or from side-to-side. As this lateral reciprocation is effected, a slight vertical oscillation also results. The following U.S. patents are exemplary of this type of movement: Ennis U.S. Pat. No. 3,711,883; Breish U.S. Pat. No. 3,859,686; Hurwitz U.S. Pat. No. 3,499,180; Belanger U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,600; and Silcock U.S. Pat. No. 4,173,805. The Ennis patent discloses an eccentric type drive mechanism to cause the reciprocation, while other, similar drive mechanisms are disclosed in the other patents.
Other prior art efforts have concentrated on the development of a washing mitter support which oscillates rotationally along a horizontal axis. U.S. Pat. to Shelstad, No. 4,164,053 and Rockafellow, No. 3,862,460 are exemplary of this type of apparatus.
While these prior efforts have been successful to a certain extent in increasing the amount of relative movement between the vehicle and the washing mitter, they exhibit several drawbacks. For example, most of the above patents disclose apparatus in which particular washing mitters contact the vehicle first, while other mitters brush against the vehicle subsequently. This causes vehicle dirt to be concentrated in those few mitters which make initial contact. It would clearly be preferable if others of the washing mitters contacted the vehicle first some of the time so that the dirt would be more evenly distributed, thus requiring less frequency cleaning and replacement of the mitters.
Another drawback with prior art designs is that only a relatively small part of the surface of each of the washing mitter actually contacts the car. This not only reduces the washing effect of the mitter but again tends to concentrate the dirt.
Yet another drawback with many prior art designs is that they are relatively complicated in design, thereby resulting in substantial initial and operating expense.
Hence, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved vehicle washing apparatus which effectively and reliably overcomes the limitations and drawbacks of the prior art proposals. More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for mounting downwardly depending vehicle washing means which is simple in design yet which results in a relatively large percentage of the vehicle surface being washed. Another object is to provide means for mounting and operating a plurality of downwardly depending washing mitters in which the dirt from the vehicles will be evenly distributed among the mitters so that they may be used for a substantial period of time without replacement or cleaning. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide means for mounting and operating downwardly depending mitters in which the mitters are being reciprocated from side-to-side while simultaneously oscillating vertically. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a car washing apparatus which achieves the above objects while being relatively simple in design and therefore inexpensive to purchase, operate, and maintain.